The Last Ship: Season 3
by queenpearl
Summary: After the death of Rachel Scott, Nathan James must leave his only son behind as he faces a new and uncertain threat in China. Friendships will be tested and broken as new ones are forged. And an old ship with ties to the United States will become Nathan's greatest enemy yet. And it might be one he does not have the strength to defeat.
1. Chapter 1 The Scott Effect

Chapter 1~ The Scott Effect

Death, death was on every breath, every smell, every blade of grass and whisper of the wind. Ships of all sizes lay strewn as though a war had been fought and lost here, their faces blooded, bodies bloated and blotched. Eyes in some cases, still open, devoid of the sparkle of life. A lone ship still remained, desperately caring for her grandson. The Jiangdao-class corvette was barely a year old when he contracted the Red Flu. Once like any youth, an eccentric happy child boistering with the joys of life, now lay upon the bed as though he was a wounded elder. The dreaded virus had taken every ounce of his youthful innocence and thrown it back at him in the form of helpless agony.

His grandmother couldn't be more different. Born in another country across the sea as a spy ship and captured many years ago, she now cared for what remained of her now shattered family. "You just need more." She whimpered, trying desperately to feed the distinctive blue liquid to her dying grandson. "Just a little more please." A strangled sound issued from her throat as she saw her attempts, like with so many of the others, became in vain. Her grandson's valiant little heart had surrendered. She buried her bow in his superstructure and feeling the muscle that still remained there, thought of what might have been. What glorious honors he could've achieved for his country. For their country. "They said it would work. I trusted them and they said it would work!" She sobbed. "They betrayed me! THEY BETRAYED ME!" In anger, she threw the bottle across the dock where it shattered, what precious liquid remained inside spilled onto the dock. The label on the side "made in the USA".

...

Nathan James sat alone at his moorings. The work on his repairs was nearly completed and he'd received orders from CNO Captain Thomas Chandler to report to Hong Kong China. There had been conflicting reports there recently of the virus spreading despite more and more shipments of the cure arriving in the stricken country.

"Nathan! Nathan!" squealed a happy voice and Nathan turned to see his son Chandler racing towards him.

"Hey now!" Nathan laughed as his son latched himself onto his superstructure. "Are you going to let go anytime soon?" He asked.

"Nope!"

Nathan chuckled and pried the shipling off his mast, setting him down in the water beside him. Chandler's big blue eyes gazed up at him and Nathan's heart twinged at the sight. _"So much like his mother."_ He thought with a sigh.

"There's the hero of the land!" said a familiar voice.

Nathan turned to see Thresher approaching. The submarine had all 12 of Achilles' pups riding on her back but seemed little bothered by the extra weight. Her hull had healed nicely from the effects of the Red Flu and hardly a visible scar remained. The dark look in her eyes was gone as well. Much better. She had something in her fin as well but Nathan could make out what it was yet.

"Thresher, how many times must I tell you. I'm just a soldier." He said, embarrassed by her proclamation.

"Embrace your title Nathan! How many other "just a soldier"'s brought this great nation out of the darkness eh?" She asked and he huffed, about to say that any ship could and he was just the one who so happened to be it. Thresher shoved him the little pamphlet she had before he could say anything. "The new food ration stamps. I figured you should see them before anyone else did. A fitting tribute eh?"

Nathan looked down at his mate's likeness, his heart giving its approval and its sorrow at both the tribute and the memory that Dr. Rachel Scott was gone from his life forever. Quietly he murmured "It's not enough."

"It never will be." Thresher agreed. "She and you did more for this country than can ever be immortalized in any kind of stamp or statue."

He nodded.

"What do you think of your assignment?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

"I don't know what to think." Nathan replied. "I find myself perplexed. How is it that the virus could mutate when Rachel made it very clear that it couldn't? Niels saw to it."

Thresher's eyes narrowed at the mention of Patient Zero as Niels was called. "I think that you're holding too tightly onto the past Nathan." She said.

"What?" The destroyer faced her.

"You want so badly for Dr. Scott to be right. For her to be remembered as such. I understand that. But you must accept the possibility that she and Niels were wrong."

"Niels I can accept but Rachel? She was right Thresher! She has to be! And am I even right to take this assignment?" He asked.

That gave the submarine pause. "What do you mean Nathan?" She asked.

"I'm not the same ship I was Thresher. I have a son now. A family. And if something happens to me, what will happen to Chandler?"

"I will take care of him." Thresher replied immediately. "I already do. I provide for him in ways you cannot."

"And I thank you for that. Repeatedly." Nathan said. He sighed. "Thresher, he's already lost his mother..."

"Then come back." Thresher replied. "Even if it makes you a coward. Kick Peng's ass and come back."

He sighed. "I have no choice in this do I?" He asked.

"You always have a choice Nathan. But I don't need to ask you to accept this assignment when you already have." Thresher smiled. "You wouldn't be worrying like this if you hadn't."

"You know me too well Thresher." He said.

She shrugged. "No more than I know any other warship. You're all the same. You may have ties here at home but you never can ignore the call to duty."

He nodded. "I entrust my son's care entirely to you." He said. "And Chandler."

Chandler stopped playing and approached at his father's tone. "I want you to behave for Thresher you understand?" He asked.

Chandler was still too young to speak in words but he seemed to understand. He pressed his little form to his father's nose, purring as he babbled in shipling speak. "Good boy." Nathan nuzzled him once and handed him off to Thresher.

On the sub's back little Achilles reached out a fin for him which Chandler accepted. "Ooh, easy now Chandler you're getting to be a little big for that." Thresher grunted as the destroyer pup climbed onto her back. Nathan laughed. "Oh laugh at my pain how noble of you Nathan James." Thresher rolled her eyes.

Nathan chuckled and offered her a friendly toot on his whistle as he headed out.


	2. Chapter 2 Rising Sun

Chapter 2~ Rising Sun

Nathan's entrance into Shanghai made for some real head turns. Liaoning met him at the foreign docks, her massive bulk easily outsizing him. Though used to being outclassed in that way, the Chinese flagship held none of the warmth that her Nimitz-class counterparts had. Her gaze was like ice under a false sun and everything about her just screamed enemy to Nathan. The destroyer had to work hard to keep his weapons down. "USS Nathan James," She greeted, her tone sharp. "Welcome to China." _"Yeah in your dreams."_ He thought but said outloud "Many thanks, PLNS Liaoning. Under different circumstances I would say your new designation suits you." Briefly he saw a flare of that old Soviet temper and a part of him half-hoped to see it come out before she relaxed. "The Red Flu has wreaked havoc on many fleets. China is fortunate to have ships strong enough to withstand its force."

He docked at his assigned berth near Customs or what used to be customs. A few Japanese destroyers kept giving him dirty looks though whatever for he could only guess at. The cure was being sent in ever increasing quantities to their homeland courtesy of several of his fleetmates. "Brats." was all Nathan said before turning his attention back to the task at hand. In the dock a few berths down was a young looking cruise liner and she looked surprisingly familiar to Nathan. He blinked and did a double take. That bridge, the sleek hull with the British flag on the bow. Those blue eyes. No, it couldn't be! And yet, undeniably, it was. Still in slight disbelief, Nathan half-whispered "Britannia?!" She looked over at him, tilting her head to the side in curiosity until the confusion in her eyes faded. "Nathan?" She moved closer to him. "Nathan James?" Nathan nuzzled her. "Who else would I be?" He purred. She leaned into it. "Nathan James, the handsome destroyer with a heart of gold." She said. "And you Britannia, a woman with as much daring and nerve as she has beauty. Able to seduce even the hardiest sailor away from the sea just with her charms." He replied, quickly becoming entranced by her blue eyes. He laughed at her blush. "You haven't changed." She said. "It's good to see you haven't either." He purred, rubbing his cheek against hers. She laughed. "Flatterer." She accused. "I'm 40 tons heavier and all the more lazier." "More to love baby, more to love." He nibbled her ear. She gave him a light swat. "Now, now behave." He backed off only slightly, his eyes twinkling. "Aye ma'am."

Settling in beside him, the two swapped tails. Nathan didn't need to tell much of his exploits, the stories had arrived here long before he did. But he had some burning questions of his own. "How does a high class girl like you, end up in China on some diplomatic assignment?" He asked. "Just because I'm a cruise ship now doesn't mean the British government had forgotten about my exploits under their jurisdiction. I was sent as the UK's representative to observe and enforce NATO policies in Asia. When the plague broke out and decimated the fleet's heirchary, Liaoning knew of my skills in the diplomatic arena and took me on as her Commander of Customs and Foreign Affairs." "Well you must've had an impressive resume. Liaoning doesn't strike me as the type to welcome foreigners, much less hire them." Nathan said. "She's a carrier born in the Soviet Union in the waning days of the Cold War and China hasn't been known for its chummy relationships with the United States." Britannia shrugged. "It's in her nature to dislike Americans." "Dislike's an understatement. You'd think I'd come in the middle of the night and raped her and took her daughter by the way she acts around me." "If you'd done that, you'd be dead." Britannia said.

The pair spent the rest of the afternoon catching up before Liaoning returned. "As an extension of China's hospitality, we'd like to welcome you to a special dinner in your honor later tonight." _"Where you can flaunt your superiority?"_ Nathan thought but again kept his thoughts hidden. "Aye, I'd be delighted to attend. Thank you."

Britannia noticed the glint in his eye after Liaoning left. "You've got some scheme cooking in that hollow shell you call a brain." She said. He nudged her playfully before his face turned serious as he said "We've sent enough cure over to heal half of China's population by now and there should be no more sick ships either. Something tells me Liaoning isn't being entirely truthful about the amount of the cure that's being spread." "You think she's deliberately withholding the cure from people?" Britannia asked. "She rose to her position on the dead bodies of her predecessors and I think she fears the same fate from people below her. All she needs to do is bide her time." Nathan said. "It's a stout theory but you're going to have to prove it." Britannia told him. "I have a plan for that." "What are you going to do?" She asked. "I'm going to poke the elephant." He replied.

As the ships gathered for dinner, Nathan looked around the table seeing all the various nations represented. There was of course Laioning with her second in command the destroyer Zining. "He's a brute, killed three of his siblings after they contracted the Red Flu." Britannia whispered to him. His gaze slipped to a small destroyer sized carrier and a medium sized diesel submarine. "Hyuga and Soryu, the first submarine deputy in Japan's history. Hyuga caused quite a stir with her selection." Britannia said. Nathan's gaze fell on a particular submarine, her sail adorned with all the medals and honors of a flagship. "Ha Noi, Vietnamese flagship." Britannia explained to his shocked silence. "She has no escort." He murmured. "Claims she doesn't need one, at least that's her public statement. In reality she's quite shy and doesn't do well around others." Britannia replied. "Traits of a submarine." She nodded. "Mmm. Word is that the Red Flu decimated the surface fleet, leaving her the only high ranking officer in charge. She's not immune and survived by staying underwater." Her gaze moved to the British delegation. Both were submarines and one met her gaze. Britannia's jaw clenched and she gritted her teeth. "Britannia?" Nathan questioned. "The one one the left in HMS Conqueror. The sub next to her is Astute." Conqueror seemed just fine amongst all the other delegates, even attempting to make conversation to cheer up the nervous Ha Noi. Astute however remained tense barely touching her food. She looked strikingly familiar to Nathan and as the American destroyer struggled to recall why, she looked over once at him. Nathan was not afraid of a little black sausage and held her gaze. Green eyes bore into amber before the darker pair looked away and Astute turned her attention back to her flagship. "Not the friendly sort is she." Nathan mused. "She's actually quite the sweetheart, to those she likes anyways. Unfortunately you don't seem to be in that category."

Laioning interrupted their private conversation. "A toast, to USS Nathan James." She began, nodding to the American destroyer who politely dipped his head in return. "The ship who overcame the odds and saved us all, in the finest traditions of our navies." The other delegations murmured their agreement, all raising their glasses to Nathan who responded with an equal salute of his own. "It has been my privilege to spread the cure throughout the world." He began. "But I can't help but wonder, if I'm doing enough." His gaze was solely on Laioning. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean." She said. Nathan had to give her credit. She had a cool head. "In the last two months, two of my brothers delivered full loads of the cure to Shanghai and Hong Kong. Enough to cure half of China. Now the cure is only contagious for a short amount of time, after which its affects are neutralized. Have you heard of the Scott Effect, Laioning?" He asked. She shook her head. "No. "The Scott Effect states that the contagious cure must affect a certain number of the population in order for it to spread. If this number is not achieved, it will wither and die leaving whole communities to be wiped out." He replied. "What are you suggesting?" She asked as Zining grew increasingly tense. "You're withholding the cure, selecting the communities you know will support you as you let others die out. You're using it to your political advantage." He growled. "How dare you!" She cried, rising. Zining leaned over and whispered something in his flagship's ear. Nathan didn't know what but he certainly didn't like the sly dark look on the destroyer's face. The two delegates left shortly there after leaving the rest in awkward silence. "Well, the elephant has been poked." Britannia murmured beside him.

Most ships looked at Nathan with impressed respect while a few others, like Japanese deputy Soryu, were left with a look that said how stupid he was, crossed with a shocked expression of mild doubt. Nathan shifted in his seat slightly, wondering what kind of repercussions he would be feeling from this.

He found out soon enough. Ha Noi rushed up to him, babbling rapidly in Vietnamese. Nathan had never heard so many words uttered by a submarine in such a short amount of time. He glanced at Britannia for some translation help and didn't like what he saw. The cruise ship had a grim look on her face as she gently hushed the sub, pressing her muzzle to her sail. Ha Noi calmed enough to start explaining her story. Britannia translated. "She says five of your crew were taken from a nightclub they were invited to. She doesn't know who did it, only that it wasn't any of her ships. The two guards she assigned to protect them were found dead." Nathan uttered a not so quiet curse. "Those weren't just any crew ashore there Britannia, my CO, my XO, my Chief Engineer, my CMO, my Navigator, my Helmsman, and my TAO." "You know you should really start adhering to US Navy rules. No more than two command officers on shore at a time. If you'd followed that, then this wouldn't have happened." Britannia said. "Don't lecture me now Britannia, it's not going to do any good." Nathan growled back. She placed a soothing wire on his shoulder. "Hey, we'll get them back." She said. "Uh oh, I heard a "we" in there." He said. She grinned. "Oh like I'm gonna let you go off on some crazy rescue mission by yourself? Someone's got to keep you on the straight and narrow. Otherwise, you'll cross the line from stupid to crazy." "Too late for that babe." He replied and she rolled her eyes.

"She has a point." Conqueror said as she approached with Astute off her flank. Nathan shifted. "I was gonna ask how much of our _private_ conversation you heard but I think I already know the answer." He replied, stifling a sigh. "If you want a conversation to be private, don't talk so loud and it's not like this wouldn't have hit the news anyways." Nathan conceded. She did have a point there. "Your missing crewmen are the latest in a string of incidents that make me wonder if Laioning's rise to power was coincidence." "You think she's behind this?" Nathan asked, turning to face her. "There's a good chance of it. Bloody hell, I'd bet my next few tots of rum on it. Laioning's got a reputation for being brutal and she's more dangerous now than ever, especially since she feels the US has her in a corner. You're right and she knows it, that's why she's gonna be pulling out all the stops to kill you. If she hasn't already. The capture of your senior crew might be the bait for a trap, Nathan." "I know. I don't care." He replied. Conqueror's eyes held a twinkle to them. "Oh I know, that's why Astute and I have decided to come with you. We'll be your escorts. Command of the operation belongs to you." "I-but I..." He stammered. "We want to find out what slimy dirty secrets are going on here just as much as you do and if your crewmen are one of the keys, then that's where we'll begin." She replied. "Yes I know that but flagship?" He asked. "Didn't Missouri appoint you as her XO for the US Fleet. Besides, you're American, you have to lead. Superpower's privilege." She grinned. "Oh alright but I'll admit I've never actually led a task force before." He said. "No worries." said Hyuga as she came alongside him. Soryu was at her side. "We all have some experience and asking for our advice won't be seen as a sign of weakness." Nathan sighed. "Are you sure you want to come along?" He asked. "Hey we're British. Chums are supposed to stick together." Conqueror laughed. Ha Noi simply nodded, saying what Nathan interpreted to be a yes from the Vietnamese submarine. "Though some in my fleet feel that the loss of nearly our entire population is due to poison being sent from America disguised as the cure, I'm more skeptical. I will not have 80 years of friendship destroyed over rumors that have no full proof fact. Labels and tales can only go so far. The black market is rampant in Japan and fake medicines were being sold on the street long before the Red Flu hit, I see no reason why the labels themselves couldn't be faked as well. I will join you. The truth matters more than anything else." Hyuga said. "Hyuga, if only we had 5 more ships with your wisdom." Britannia said as the Japanese cruiser grinned.

"Alright, so where too first Commander?" Conqueror asked Nathan. "We know that shortly after my crew were taken hostage, three fishing boats off the coast all disappeared. Our best place to start would be their last known position." He said. "Sounds good to me." Hyuga nodded her approval. "Lead the way Nathan." She ordered. Nathan nodded and with the Japanese cruiser on one side, Britannia on the other, and the submarines fanned out in a protective circle, the oddly assembled task force set out on an uncertain journey and an even more uncertain fate.


	3. Chapter 3 Shanzhai

Chapter 3~ Shanzhai

Nathan James cruised front and center in the middle of his task force. Just off his starboard flank was Britannia, her white hull turning gold in the late evening sun. To his port was Hyuga, who thought it amusing that the American destroyer couldn't keep his eyes off the cruise ship. "You have good taste Nathan James." She said. His spluttering reaction earned him a laugh. "We're not... Don't do that Hyuga! It's not funny, stop laughing!" He ordered. She laughed again. "Whatever you say sir." She grinned. "Periscope sighted, 2 degrees to your starboard Nathan." Britannia reported. The three ships were the only ones that could be seen by any surface vessels. The rest of the task force was underwater. From its position, Nathan knew the periscope belonged to Conqueror. He'd decided to keep the flagships closest to the center, where they'd be the best protected. At least two, including Hyuga and Ha Noi objected to this but their protests were falling on deaf ears. Conqueror of course had her own reservations about the arrangement, being a front line type of fighter but she had the wisdom not to argue it. "Conqueror, report. What do you see out there?" Nathan asked. "Oh besides the herds of shrimp banging away on each other nothing much." She replied. He suppressed a sigh. Submarines were not known for their tact and Conqueror, despite being a flagship, was no exception. "Copy that, keep looking." He said. "Will do and Nathan?" "Yes?" "It's Conks." With that the periscope disappeared as the British flagship went deep in search of targets.

She and the other submarines surfaced as they approached the Vietnamese coastline. A small group of fishing vessels were nearby, busy hauling their nets. Perhaps a bit too busy. "They're moving pretty fast for boats with nets out." Nathan mused. "Astute, go check it out and report back. DO NOT engage them." He thought Astute would've argued but a small nod from Conqueror changed her mind and she dove, heading for the trawlers. "Her attitude needs to change." Nathan growled. "I will not have a ship under my command that doesn't obey her orders." Conqueror winced. "I apologize for her Nathan." "It's no fault of yours." Nathan sighed. "As her commanding officer, I must..." "No, none of that! Each ship in this task force is responsible for his or her actions. None of this CO is responsible stuff. If anyone's responsible, it's me! I command, I take the heat. Clear?" He asked. She nodded. "Her attitude has nothing to do with this mission or this fleet nor your leaderships skills. It's about her sister." "Who's her sister? And what does she have to do with this? With me?!" Nathan growled. Conqueror's gaze was a touch sorrowful as she came up alongside him, so close that one wrong move would have them collide. "Her sister was an immune, Nathan. One that you knew very well." "Achilles..."

Now Nathan understood. That hull design, he knew it looked familiar to him! Astute was Achilles' immediate sister, one of only two in her class that had gotten the same upgrades that made Achilles so difficult for him to catch. Nathan felt for her, he really did. He'd lost a few siblings himself to the plague and knew just how painful it was. It was something he wouldn't wish on anyone. And what was worse, he was the cause of that pain. "I'm sorry, I didn't know." He managed. "I know. And Astute knows you didn't mean to kill her. But it is hard to focus on a mission when you're with the ship that killed someone you love." Conqueror said. "Let me put it this way, if Amy Granderson was still alive, how would you feel if you came across her again?" Nathan thought for a moment. Granderson had killed his first mate, New York and he hated her for that. But at the same time, she was also the mother of one of his former crewman, now serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff. "I'd be torn between tolerating her and tearing her throat out!" He said finally. "That's how Astute feels. Be glad she has enough of a cool head on her to not do the latter." "There's something she doesn't know though." Nathan took a breath. "She's an aunt." "Achilles' pups live?" Conqueror frowned. "An interesting development." She said. "And one you shouldn't be sharing with me. Ah, here she comes. Go on laddy." She gave him a nudge towards Astute's rapidly approaching periscope. "Conqueror I hardly think..." He began. "Go on. Get up there mate, yah!" She gave him a slap across the stern with her fin like a bullwhip to a horse. Nathan yelped and moved off towards Astute who had common sense enough to surface beside him.

"Well, they aren't fishing boats." She said. "You sure?" Nathan asked. "Positive. Two are Q ships, I could sense the weapon's signature belowdecks. The third, I'm not sure what it is. But its got a big open space where its fishing hold should be." "Could be a prison ship. Could be my missing crewmen, well done Astute. We'll follow them at a safe distance." Astute prepared to dive again when Nathan said "And Astute?" She paused and Nathan risked a look back at Conqueror who rolled her eyes and made a "go on" motion with her fins. Taking a second to glare at her for her previous action he turned back to the waiting Astute. "Something I should know?" She asked. "I'm sorry about Achilles." He said. Astute's gaze hardened and her eyes, luminous in the fading light, shimmered a bit. "She stood no chance against you. It wasn't a fight, it was murder. But I can't exactly blame you since you didn't know that she was..." "Pregnant?" Nathan interrupted. "Yeah, I knew." He added at her shocked look. "I helped deliver those twelve buggers myself." "Her pups?" Astute perked up. "Tell me everything!" She demanded. "You-you might not like it." He said. "I don't care, tell me!" She growled and sighing, the destroyer retold that awful day!

*FLASHBACK, 7 MONTHS EARLIER*

 _The submarine was in bad shape, her port quarter dented inwards and mangled. She whimpered in fear and pain, barely able to get up enough speed to come alongside Nathan who had his teeth bared and guns aimed at her. The destroyer seemed unflinching and Achilles submitted herself to whatever fate awaited her. Pregnant or not, she was a ship of war and she had lost. Nathan's nose twitched and his eyes widened slightly as he finally recognized the funny smell for what it was. Water and not just any water, water from a womb that had just broke. Eyeing Achilles' severely widened sides he knew. "How many?" He asked her. "A-A dozen." She replied. "Please!" She begged, crying out as a contraction seized her. She rolled on her side. Nathan sucked in a breath. The damage to her stern prevented the pups from safely traveling down the passage but it was too late now to do anything about it. The pups were already on their way. Achilles shrieked in pain as the first one collided with the blocked region. Behind it the other pups waited, impatiently. The line built up and with a sudden pop and flying of hull plates, Achilles' dent came undone. The submarine screamed, pushing hard as her tongue lolled between her teeth. In a fountain of blood the first pup emerged, swimming doggedly to the surface, its little fins splashing the waves. Nathan picked it up, discovering it was a girl, and set her down at her mother's side. Achilles moaned in pain, managing to push the next pair out, both boys. They too were set at her side where at once they latched on and began to suckle. Despite her agony, Achilles managed a purr. "I never thought I would feel that..." She rasped. "Keep going, you've got nine more." Nathan encouraged. Achilles' screams and wails sounded out for the next several hours as she labored to push the remaining pups out. She'd managed 7 before the remaining 5 decided they wanted a little more time in the womb and remained there. Achilles tried to push them out but they were resolute. "They'll come when they are ready." Nathan told her. "In the meantime, try to rest. You've been at it for hours." "So have you." She pointed out. "I haven't just given berth to 7 babies." Nathan said. Achilles gave in and rested against his hull. He gladly supported her. "I owe you one, Yank." She said. "You owe me nothing, Brit." He shot back. "It's a ship's code to help another in distress." Achilles licked her thanks and curled around her 7 pups, getting a few hours of peace. 2 hours later, she was at it again. The remaining five pups weren't eager to come out but they weren't resolute in not coming out either. Either way, Achilles couldn't keep this up for much longer. The submarine was exhausted. She'd been at this for 10 hours straight!_

 _Finally, after 15 grueling hours, the last pup was finally born. Achilles collapsed against Nathan, 12 little bundles all squirming at her side. Their exhausted mother, wounds both external and internal beginning to get the better of her, curled up to go to sleep. Nathan nudged her, doing what he could to keep her awake but he could only do so much. And no one had compatible blood for a submarine. That was unique to the submarine community alone. "Achilles, stay awake." Nathan urged her as the sub began to nod off again. "Mmm, can't." She managed. "Sleepy." "I know. I know you're sleepy but you can't go to sleep now. You'll die." Nathan said. "Death is what I deserve." She rasped. "Nathan, I never told you how grateful I am to you for helping me. I should've just been left to rot, like all the other people I'd left to do the same." "That was the Ramsey's Achilles, not you." He said. "I could've stopped them." She murmured. "Like I am doing now. They are closed off, all systems turned off. When I die, they die." "There has to be another way. I'll carry you into a drydock. There are still people who can help." He said. "Carry me, your and my 12 pups?" She asked. "You'd break your back trying." "I can still try." He replied. She shook her head. "In another life, I would've been proud to call you my friend." She rasped, holding out a fin. Nathan didn't know what to say to that. He met the outstretched limb with a wire, grasping it tightly. "Achilles, please..." He begged, his voice breaking. He'd lost so many, he couldn't lose another. Achilles smiled, a warm but sad expression. She gazed at her pups. "They are strong and healthy and deserve a better mother than me. Take care of them. See they don't make the same mistakes I did." "Achilles, I.." Nathan began. "Promise me." The sub begged, her green eyes passionate. Nathan could feel her hull growing cold. There was so little time. "I-I promise." He whispered. She gripped his wire in her fin, resting against him. "Thank you, sina." Her grip slackened and Achilles moved no more..._

*END FLASHBACK*

Astute was in tears before he got halfway through the retelling and by the time he'd finished she was crying openly, if softly. "Sina, she called you Sina." She whispered. "After everything, after all the battles you fought as enemies." "She didn't want to do what she did. Maybe at first but I think that later on she realized just what kind of atrocities she was helping commit. We may've fought against each other but we weren't enemies, not in the end." Nathan replied in a shaky voice. Astute looked up to see that he was crying too. "Twelve pups lost their mother because of me that day. Don't think for an instant that I'm not haunted by that. Haunted by the idea that maybe, just maybe I could've done something to save her. I could've carried her into port, I could've given her my own blood. It wouldn't have been good for her but it would've staven off her death long enough for her to get proper treatement." "But only if she wanted it." Astute murmured quietly. "She was my twin Nathan, and you can say I knew her mind well. She didn't want to live. She'd caused enough pain to the world not that I blame her. And I can't bring myself to blame you either." She looked down. "You didn't kill her Nathan, despite how much I wanted to believe you did. Maybe that way it would've been easier for me to accept what she'd done. But no, you set her free. You saved her and the world at the same time." Nathan was surprised to feel her fin gripping his hull. "The pups are in St. Louis. All survived miraculously. They've been inoculated and are now fine healthy buggers. Enough to cause trouble." This earned a small laugh out of Astute. "Just like their mother." She said. She reached up and gave Nathan a kiss on his right cheek. "Water under the bridge now sir." She said before backing off. Still slightly surprised by the kiss, it took Nathan a moment before issuing his orders. "We'll follow the fishing boats covertly. Don't let them out of radar contact but make sure they don't know we're here." He ordered.

As the fleet prepared to head out, Astute remained alongside Nathan. "And James?" She asked. The serious tone in her voice and the use of his last name gave Nathan pause. "I forgive you." Astute readily returned his salute before she disappeared beneath the sea, her mind completely focused on the mission ahead. _"Maybe there's hope for this mottly gang after all."_ Conqueror thought before she too, set her sights on the ships in front of her.


	4. Chapter 4 Devil May Care

Chapter 4~ The Devil May Care

"If you think I'm telling you anything, you're more of an idiot than you appear to be." "Shut up!" Slattery expected the slap across the face but he didn't expect the cutting feel to it, slicing into his cheek. "Impressive right hook." He amended. "A skill I learned from you Americans." came the reply. Slattery couldn't see anything through his blindfold, all he did know was he'd finally left the prison hold and made it to dry land. "You learned it very poorly then. This is how it's really done." He whirled around, slamming his right hook into his captor. But instead of the satisfying feel of his hand crushing his victim's skull, he heard and felt his own knuckles break. He screamed and retracted his hand at once, clutching it to his chest. Something hard pushed him down to the ground with tremendous force. Hot breath tickled his ear as a voice whispered "That might've worked Slattery, if I was human." His arm tickled as something was poked into it. "You don't mind do you? Thanks to the efforts of your comrades, I've had to come up with an ingenious way of dealing with the Red Flue." Slattery had no answer, the pain in his hand dulling as he drifted off into unconsciousness.

...

Nathan parked himself 20 miles off the Vietnamese coast. Britannia and Hyuga stopped beside him and off to his right, a single periscope peeked up. "Come up, all of you." He ordered. The scope disappeared and Conqueror surfaced in its place. Beside her was Astute. Just aft of Nathan sat Sorya. Ha Noi was ahead of everyone else, stradling the border of her territory. "Translate for me?" Nathan asked Britannia who nodded. "Ha Noi, I request permission for me and this task force to enter your nation's borders. Is that okay with you?" Ha Noi waited patiently, hardly blinking as Britannia finished her translation. Once the cruise ship was finished, the submarine shifted her body to the side and out of Nathan's path of travel, her fins making an inviting gesture. Nathan knew enough Vietnamese for a reply and murmured his thanks to her, seeing a brief flicker of surprise in her eyes before she fell in beside him. The American destroyer trusted the submarine to guide him through these waters and Ha Noi didn't disappoint, taking them straight to the docks before firing off a few sentence in Vietnamese. "She says you can relax here, stock up. The answers to your missing crew are on shore. With your permission, I'd like to lead an amphibious operation to uncover those answers." "These are your waters, Ha Noi. Don't ask for permission for anything. I do recommend you take backup with you though. Sorya?" Hyuga murmured something to her deputy and Sorya nodded, silently moving out of the water and onto land, her fins becoming her mode of transportation. Ha Noi dipped her head in thanks and joined her, both submarines slinking off silently into the darkness.

"I've always found it creepy how they do that." Nathan said. "What?" Conqueror tilted her head to the side. "How submarines can just disappear like that. I'll admit it's a skill I envy and wish I had at times but seeing it does send a chill down my keel." Nathan replied. The British ship chuckled. "Sometimes I find it a little weird myself. One minute, you're in the cross hairs and the next, they're in yours as they try and locate you, not even realizing what's about to happen to them. No surface ship can duplicate that sort of maneuver." Conqueror said. "The surface of the sea is wide open, but its depths offer plenty of places to hide. After all you can't find what you can't see." "True that." Nathan agreed. "Still, I envy you sometimes." "If you were around 70 years ago you wouldn't." Conqueror snorted. "Even just 30 years ago, being a submarine was guaranteed to be a source of bullying." "I never understood why you were considered so low. It's not like we didn't ambush too." "Aye but ambushing for you was a hobby, for us it is a necessity. Submarine's aren't born for the type of warfare you surface ships can enjoy. For us, stealth means survival. It's how we've survived the past 500 million years." "I-I never knew submarines were around for that long." Nathan said. _"You learn something new every day I guess."_ He thought. "Many of us have always wondered if we were brought around by humans or if we were tamed. The technology over the last 40 years has given us many answers but raised far more questions." "Funny how things like that tend to work." Nathan said and Conqueror laughed. "Aye. Just looking at the bones of my anscestors will answer one question and raise about 6."

Both turned as they heard a small whine. "You hear that?" Conqueror asked and Nathan nodded. The submarine sniffed the air. "I'm getting something but its faint." She said. "Can you track it?" Nathan asked and she nodded, leading the way through the tangled mess of dead ships and broken docks. The whine came again, louder this time and Conqueror halted beside an old peace of wreckage. "Nathan, over here!" She called. Nathan rushed over to see what the submarine was looking at. There, under a pile of twisted metal, lay a baby helicoptor. He was Chinese, the little red star on his flanks just barely showing. He whined again and Conqueror looked at Nathan. Both ships were thinking the same thing as they lifted the wreckage off the little guy. Conqueror showed a fin and scooped the baby up before handing him to Nathan. "Here, you have room for a helicopter." She said. "Yeah but how am I supposed to care for a baby? I can't produce milk." He snorted. "I'll be able to feed him." Conqueror said. "Submarine milk is richer than what he's used to but it should do the trick for now." Nathan nodded. "We should name him." He said. "One of Ark Royal's old fighters was named Davis." Conqueror suggested. "That, is perfect." Nathan agreed. "Hello Davis." The little copter merely offered a sneeze in reply, his rotors rotating a quarter turn before he snuggled into Nathan's deck. "Aww." Conqueror cooed. "Don't you even start." He huffed and the submarine laughed.

An explosion was heard on the far side of the city. "Think our scout team came across trouble?" Nathan asked. Astute snorted. "To think otherwise is wishful thinking, Nathan. They're submarines. If they haven't found trouble, they are the trouble." She said. Sure enough, Sorya and Ha Noi came racing back to the water's edge. Sorya babbled something in rapid Japanese. "I hope we stocked up well enough Nathan because we may've just overstayed our welcome in Vietnam." Hyuga said. "Do I want to know?" Nathan asked and Ha Noi growled something in her native tongue. It must've been bad for Britannia arched an eyebrow. "One word Nathan, missiles." She said. "Ours or there's?" He asked. "There's but they're unlike anything Ha Noi's ever seen. They contain these silver balls with this green mist." "Biological weapon?" Nathan murmured. "I don't know. But I'm not about to hang around to find out." Conqueror said and whatever Ha Noi said must've been in agreement for she launched herself back into the water, Sorya right behind her. Both submarines made a beeline for open water. "I guess that's our cue." Nathan said and the rest of the fleet followed him.

They traveled for about a day before coming across a small group of islands that matched the coordinates that Slattery had given, hidden within his Service Number. There was something familiar about his captor too and the feeling Nathan's gut said he wasn't going to like it when he figured out why. "Britannia, Baesalam what does it mean?" He asked and the British cruise ship's mouth tightened into a fine line. "It's Korean." She said. "The latter half of the word "Salam" is supposed to mean Western. But Bae could mean any number of things. It's part of a verb that much I do know." Nathan nodded. "I don't like this." He said. "Neither do I. Every instinct I have is telling me to turn back. We're involved in something here that is more sinister than we previously thought." She said. Nathan felt a tap on his hull and looked to see Hyuga gesturing to a periscope. "Alright Conqueror you have my attention, what is it?" He asked. "I'm picking something up sir. There's something out there giving off signals, lots and lots of them." She replied. "Alright, keep on it." He said and turned his attention back to the island in front of him. His own sonar began giving off loud signals as it picked up the contacts. "What the hell is out there, the signal strength is off the scale!" He cried. "NATHAN STOP!" Conqueror surfaced and gripped his hull strongly with her fins. At the same time, less than a hundred yards off his port bow, an explosion went up in the water. Nathan instantly ground to a halt. "Thanks." He panted and the submarine nodded, backing off. Ha Noi, Sorya, and Astute also surfaced. "Mines." The British deputy said grimly. "We're gonna have to find a way around them somehow." "No." Nathan interrupted and the three subs looked at him in surprise. "We have to find a way through this minefield." "It's too risky. We can just go around and penetrate the island that way. Why take the chance?" Astute asked. It was Conqueror who spoke this time, looking at Nathan with a knowing eye. "Because you only set mines if you're hiding something." She said and Nathan nodded, pleased that she'd figured it out. "We're close." He growled. "Very close."


	5. Chapter 5 A Dog Day in the Minefield

Nathan looked at the minefield before him, trying to determine its strategy right down to the individual mines. They came in sets of three. Two of which were identified. The third was a homemade device. The trick was to work around them. He turned to his ships. "I would understand if you chose to stay behind." He said. Nobody moved. Conqueror offered him a smile. "We're not going anywhere Nathan." She said. He nodded. "But you are." He said to Britannia. "What?" She asked. "I'm with you Nathan!" "This is too risky for a civilian. I have no doubts we're gonna have a fight on our hands." He said. "I know how to fight!" "I know. I know but you have more than just me to live for." She nodded, understanding. "I'll wait for you, for as long as I can." She pressed her muzzle to his. "Be safe." She begged. "I will." He promised, and then he was gone, leading the way through the center of the minefield.

Baesalam grinned to herself. The mines would tear Nathan's little fleet to shreds or at the very least if by some miracle they managed to get through, slow them down enough for her to escape. A part of her admired Nathan James. The plucky destroyer had an excellent sense of what to do in a crisis. His actions during the pandemic of the Red Flue were legendary. But at the same time, he was American. The same nation that had abandoned her, allowed her to be captured by the North Koreans. They made no attempt to rescue her, leaving her to rot under Un's twisted rule. And just when she needed them most, they betrayed her and her whole family died. She only survived because of the regular transfusions of blood she got from those who were cured. Sighing, the old spy ship rubbed her forehead. She was disgusted at herself for what she had to do. She was American. Her name, Baesalam, even translated to "Betrayed American". She wasn't against the country, but she was against those who were running it. The only problem was explaining why the Americans sent a fake cure to Asia. They weren't imperialists. They had no desire to conquer the world even though it was well within their ability. She raised her head as she saw Slattery being carried to her again for another transfusion. With a sigh, she stifled any doubts she may've had and got back to the business of keeping herself alive.

The minefield was tricky to navigate, in fact Nathan had several close calls. All diverted thanks to Conqueror. After the latest one, he turned to look at the submarine. "Thank you." He said. She nodded, too winded to speak. Her jaws were parted in a pant and if Nathan looked closer he could've sworn he saw her holding her starboard fin. "Let me see it." He ordered. Her eyes widened and she shook her head, backing away. "Conqueror let me see that fin." He ordered again, this time more sternly. Reluctantly, she held it out for him. A deep cut ran along its entire length, blood dripping into the water. Nathan was careful to avoid it touching him. He handed her some bandages. "Wrap it and as soon as you're done, I'm carrying you." He said. "I can sail on my own!" She protested. "Not with that fin you aren't." He growled. "And if a certain fleetmate of mine was here, she'd say the exact same thing." Huffing, Conqueror agreed and once her fin was wrapped, he lowered his head and helped her climb up. Davis was happy to see her, bouncing around on his wheels. "Come here little one." Conqueror purred as he snuggled to her side.

The fleet continued on and Nathan led the way into a cove. There was a beach at the other end, with sheer cliff walls on either side. Only one way out and barely enough room inside for them to maneuver. All of Nathan's instincts warned him of the danger and he had to resist the urge to run back out again. His instincts were spot on and Conqueror's cry was the only warning he had before he was knocked on his side by another warship. Conqueror was thrown clear of him and he lost sight of her after that. He pushed himself up and rounded to face the other ship. She was only half his length and weighed barely an eighth of what he did but she was strong, sporting good muscle on her frame and she knew how to punch where it hurt the most. Nathan's side was still stinging from where she'd rammed him unexpectedly. "USS Nathan James." She grinned. "The savior of the world in my humble home. I should be honored." "Where's my crew?" He asked. "All in due time Nathan." She replied. "Not in due time. Now!" He snarled. She sighed. "So impatient." She murmured. He growled, ready to tear her throat out if his crew hadn't found a way to escape on their own accord. Men from shore were firing rounds at them and they would've all been killed if a timely strike by Conqueror hadn't stopped them. The submarine pounced, fins scrabbling in the sand as she took care of the men. "Go Nathan!" She cried. "GO!" With his crew onboard, he gathered his ships together. Astute was reluctant to leave and so Nathan had to pick her up in his jaws and carry her out. Baesalam was being muzzled and towed by Hyuga. "Goodbye kiddo." Conqueror whispered, a tear falling from her eye. It only lasted a moment before the submarine was focused once again on the matters in front of her. There was one last thing she could do to ensure they got away safely.

Nathan's fleet had just reached the entrance to the minefield when one by one, all the mines exploded, producing jets of water high into the air. The path was free for them to travel. Astute gasped in shock at something behind him and he dared himself a look. The whole island had gone up and Nathan knew only one thing was powerful enough to do that. "Conqueror..." He breathed, aware of the sub's weapon capabilities. Astute was in tears when he set her down. Britannia had no doubt seen the explosion and was racing towards them. A quick head count confirmed her worst fears. "Conqueror..." She whispered, in tears and grimly Nathan nodded. Beside him, Astute wailed in grief. Hyuga and Sorya bowed their heads. Ha Noi simply made a gesture of one removing their cap from their head, she too silent out of respect. Nathan couldn't waste his ammo so he sounded his horn 21 times, lowering his flag to half-staff. Hyuga and Britannia both did the same. Their prisoner remained silent, lest she arouse some anger. Nathan gave his fleet another minute before he ordered them onward. They still had a job to do, a world to save. But it wouldn't be the same. At least not for Nathan. He'd come to depend on Conqueror, he relied heavily on her advice and had come to see the old submarine as a friend. Losing her now was yet another knife to his heart. Sighing, he took one last look at the island, flames meeting the blood red sky. "Goodbye, Conks."


	6. Chapter 6 In the Dark

Chapter 6~ In the Dark

Thresher looked out upon the City of St. Louis with a mixture of concern and disdain. Concern because of President Mitchell's failing policies and disdain over a certain news reporter's actions that were making said policies fail. Jacob was a cruel bastard. He insisted upon bullying the president so much that Thresher was seriously beginning to wonder if he was an immune.

Squabbling brought her attention back to the present as Achilles and Olympus started a tug of war with a bone near the beach. The other pups cheered them on, including Chandler. Achilles put some muscle into it and tore the bone right out of Olympus' mouth. The youngest pup squealed as she tumbled face first into the sand. Even Thresher had to laugh. Growling, Olympus leaped up and tackled her elder sibling. The others cheered them on as a fight developed. Sighing, Thresher intervened, picking each pup up in a fin. Both struggled. "Enough." She ordered sternly. "She started it!" Both squealed simultaneously. Thresher resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "I don't care who started it, I'll finish it." She growled. "Now apologize." Olympus looked away while Achilles crossed her fins in front of her and huffed. Thresher took them into an empty drydock. "Alright then, no supper for either of you." She said, setting them down inside. They whined and wailed but Thresher ignored them as she took to caring for her remaining pups.

"Chandler come here." She ordered. The destroyer shipling waggled his stern as he came forward. "Behave yourself." She ordered and he chirped questioningly. "I know you encouraged them." Thresher growled. "No more of that, you here. Or I'll have to call your father home so he can deal with you." Chandler whimpered, his bow lowered in submission as he agreed. He was too young to understand the full scope of what was going on but he knew that bringing his father home wasn't good for anyone. Thresher licked him. "Alright, go and play now." She said. "But stay within earshot." He nodded and raced off. Thresher watched him go until she saw he was heading for the far side of the river. "Chandler, I've told you not to go over there!" She cried and took off after him. She passed Clamagore on the way. "Watch them." She growled, not stopping. Her remaining pups all squealed and tried to chase after their mother. Clamagore sighed and called to them, promising some fun games. They all immediately went to her.

Chandler, being as small as he was, was able to squeeze his way through some tight places that Thresher was forced to go around. Eventually, the sub caught up with him. Grabbing him by his stern she raised him out of the water. "You are in so much trouble mister. When I'm finished with you..." She cut herself off as she heard voices. Well aware that Illinois was still largely a gangster state after the plague, she immediately set him down and held him close to her. She listened carefully, hidden by the shadows as three men came perilously close to her position.

"Is everything ready?" asked the first. "We have men stationed at various points to ensure the plan goes into action smoothly." replied the second. "Do you trust your brother?" The first asked the third. "I know Jacob will do his part. He's loyal to our cause." The third replied. "Excellent. With Mitscher out of the way, no one can stop our advance. And I trust Shaw to hide any incriminating evidence, if he wants to remain president that is." The first cackled. Thresher didn't realized she had gasped until it was too late. The men turned in her direction and the submarine closed her eyes, praying her black hull camoflauged her. "Someone's down there, Avery go check it out." The first man ordered. The third man, Avery, stumbled down the rocky bank, making his way to where Thresher hid. The submarine gripped Chandler tightly as she blew just enough ballast to slip her hull beneath the surface. Her sail would appear like any other piece of equipment around her. The shipling didn't like being underwater and struggled out of her grasp. Avery shined his flashlight on him. "Hey, there's a shipling back here. Must've gotten separated from his momma." Chandler waggled his stern as he moved closer, curious about this man. Avery pulled back. "Well then get rid of him, man. We can't have any witnesses." The second man said. "He's just a baby!" Avery protested. "And he's too young to understand anything we're saying. But if you insist, I know a way to get rid of him." He pulled out a stick and Chandler's eyes lit up. "You want it, go get it!" Avery cried, tossing it out into the river. Chandler took off after it. Once he was out of sight of the shore, Thresher intercepted him. "No Chandler." She growled, grabbing him. He whined and wailed and that's when the explosion happened. The fireball was brief but impressive and it would've happened inside the shipling's mouth had he grabbed it. "Alright, let's go home." Thresher growled and with a squeak of agreement, Chandler gladly let the submarine carry him back to the Missouri side of the river.

Clamagore was waiting for Thresher when she got back. "You were gone a long time." She said. "Aye, I had to catch a wayward shipling." Thresher growled, setting Chandler down as the shipling snuggled to her side. Her pups shuffled their way over as well. "If you were back sooner you might've been able to prevent what just happened." Clamagore said, her eyes darkening. "What? What just happened?" Thresher asked though she had a sickening feeling she already knew. "Mitscher's dead. He hung himself." Thresher's fears deepened. The men on the bank. They knew full well what was going to happen. They _planned_ it! "Clamagore, while I was chasing down this rascal," she nudged a now very sleepy Chandler. "He ran right into a gangster part of the river bank." "And what happened?" Clamagore asked. "I heard them talking. Three of them. They mentioned the president, and how someone named "Shaw" was going to take over." Thresher replied. "Shaw's the Vice President, well he's the President now I guess." Clamagore replied, her eyes widening. "You don't think?" She asked. "I don't know." Thresher replied, her jaw tightening. At her side, little Achilles could sense her distress and began to whine, her little nose poking the bigger sub's belly. Thresher soothed her back to sleep. "But as much as I don't want to find out, I believe we all will sooner rather than later." She said grimly.


	7. Chapter 7 Sea Change

Nathan set a slow pace at the center of the task force. The whole fleet was weighed down by grief in the aftermath of Conqueror's death. The submarines traveled on the surface with Astute taking her former leader's place off Nathan's starboard bow. She was quiet, they all were. Hyuga had dropped the towline on Baesalam, allowing the little spy ship to sail on her own alongside. Sorya and Ha Noi blocked her exit routes, ensuring she stayed within the task force. But she seemed to be just as grieved as the rest of them. Despite the anger Nathan felt towards her, he couldn't bring himself to unleash it. One did not act on anger alone. It wasn't proper for a warship, especially not the flagship of a task force. But Nathan knew he'd have to confront her at some point. Sighing, he ordered a halt and turned to face his prisoner.

"I know why you kidnapped my crew." He said. "You needed their blood. By why them? According to you, any cured person would've worked fine." "Because it's because of America that my family was wiped out!" She snarled. "I trusted them and they betrayed me!" "We never would've poisoned whole populations! We've had many chances to take over the world. It's been well within our power even before the plague hit!" Nathan snarled and Baesalam ducked her head, her stern digging into the water ad she wimped submissively. Britannia intervened before Nathan could say more. "Bae, now I understand." She whispered. "Baeson, Betrayed. And Salam for Western, no not Western. American! Betrayed American!" Nathan looked at her, confused. Britannia simply looked at Baesalam. "Why don't you tell him your real name?" She asked and Baesalam sighed. "USS Pueblo AGER-2, sir." She said, standing at attention. She ignored the gasps from Ha Noi and Sorya at this. "You still see yourself as American. You wouldn't have bowed to my authority if you didn't." Nathan sighed. "Stand at ease." He ordered and Pueblo did so. "You do understand the seriousness of what you have done." He said and she nodded. "You will travel with us as a prisoner of war and when we return to the states, you will be tried for war crimes." "Yes sir." She said with a sigh. "I do have some questions for you and I expect you to answer them." He said. "I will, do my best sir." She replied. "But, sir if I may. I-well it's been a while since my last transfusion sir and..." "Give me a needle." Nathan ordered Britannia. The cruise ship looked like she was about to protest but instead handed it to him. The blood was drawn quickly and Pueblo sighed as it was put into her bloodstream, staving off the effects of the virus for now.

"We were in China to determine why the cure wasn't working. It's the same as the one that runs through our bloodstream. We checked. We weren't sure if the virus had mutated or not. We thought that was impossible though." Nathan said. "But its not the cure that's at fault. It's something else." Pueblo sighed. "We were attacked a few days before your fleet arrived with the cure. We all went out to meet them of course, get our doses. But it wasn't long before we discovered that it didn't work. My son died first, then my daughter. My mate had been lost at the beginning of the plague. In hindsight, he was the lucky one. My grandson was the last to perish. He had turned a year old at the beginning of the outbreak. No matter how much cure I gave him, it just wouldn't work. I couldn't understand it!"

Nathan had tears in his eyes as she finished her story but he had to know more, as painful as it was. "What kind of attack?" Nathan asked. "Who attacked you?" "I don't know. All I remember was this green mist..." Nathan cut her off there. "Green mist? We found missiles containing balls of green mist that explode on contact with a solid object. We think its some kind of biological weapon." He said. "It's more than that." Astute spoke up. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying but her voice was strong. "I've been analyzing the substance and its a glucose compound specially engineered to bind to the virus, covering it in a layer of protection that prevents the cure from working. But it only works on people who haven't been cured." "So by the time we get there, it's too late." Nathan breathed, stunned as the truth began to dawn on him.

"Liaoning isn't withholding the cure, she's allowing it to spread freely." "Allowing it to spread with her engineered counter so that the blame will be put on us for failing to save whole populations when in fact, she is committing genocide!" Britannia snarled. Pueblo was stunned as she too began to understand. "So Liaoning, wants to wipe out whole populations, so there will be no resistance. Korea was hit hard enough by the plague." She said. "And Japan was hit even harder." Hyuga growled. "Almost 90% of our population was gone by the time America got to us. But now I'm beginning to see they came too late. Not that I blame you Nathan." "Some of the cities we went to may've been spared, only key targets would've been hit. The virus would've spread from there but that takes time that Peng might not necessarily have had." Nathan said, sounding a bit too hopeful. "My fleet has to know about this." Hyuga said. "No!" Hyuga paused at Nathan's order. "We can't risk saying anything yet. Liaoning doesn't know we're onto her scheme yet. The minute she does, all the evidence is going to disappear. We need to know how she's doing it. How she's getting these missiles through our defensive lines." The destroyer said and she nodded. "Then we need to figure it out and quickly."

Nathan faced his task force, his gaze traveling over each of them. Astute, strong and focused even after facing such a personal tragedy. Sorya, aggressive but task orientated. Ha Noi, quiet but a dangerous opponent in her own right. Hyuga, a loyal and trustworthy confidant. Nathan had come to rely heavily on her advice after Conqueror's death. And then there was Britannia, an old flame to his heart. "You all agreed to come along to find out what was happening in China. We've done that." Nathan began. "You are under no obligation to remain under my command. If any of you wish to return home, you may do so without fear of reprisal from me. You've earned the right." No one, not even Pueblo moved. Sorya and Ha Noi exchanged glances and the Japanese sub made a gesture with her fins. Ha Noi came forward. "We're not going anywhere except where you lead us Nathan." She said in perfect English. Nathan was stunned. "You-you can speak English?" He asked and she laughed. "We both can." Sorya said, coming forward to stand beside her. Britannia was smiling. "You knew about this?" He asked her. "You had to find out for yourself Nathan. I couldn't breathe a word." She replied. "Why now?" Nathan asked them. "Because now you have our respect." Ha Noi replied. "I'll admit I had my doubts about you. I honestly believed America had been poisoning my country but having served with you I know that if the US fleet had half the honor you have, they would never even think about it." Sorya added. "I stand with my deputy." Hyuga said, stepping forward to stand beside the submarine. "Conks would never forgive me if I was the odd one out here so count me in as well." Astute said. Britannia nodded. "You already know my answer, Nathan." She said gently. He dipped his head to her. Pueblo moved up past Hyuga to face him. "I know I'm just a prisoner sir, and that I don't have a choice in going home or not. But as far as I'm concerned sir, home isn't within my reach until I help you see this mission through. Despite what I may've felt in the past, you are my deputy, appointed by the same Supreme Flagship that we both serve. I follow your orders, sir." She said. "Thank you." He murmured. "All of you." "Bloody hell Nathan, any more and you'll have us all crying." Astute said and Nathan barked a laugh as did the rest of them. "Just like Conks, you know how to lighten the mood, Astute." He said. "So, where to flagship?" Ha Noi asked. "We'll head north for China. And see if we can't figure out what other clues we've discovered along the way." He replied.

...

It was cold, surprisingly so since not all that long ago, Conqueror had felt her hull burning. She was still alive, that much she could tell. The fog in her head prevented her from sensing much about her surroundings but she could tell she was lying on a mattress. Her body had shrunk accordingly she could tell. Her head pounded and back let her know of its burns by sending shooting waves of pain throughout her body. On the fringes of her hearing she could detect voices but she couldn't make out what they were saying very clearly, only clips of sentences reached her. "...fleet has moved off sir." "Has our prisoner woken up yet?" "She's weak, and her fever is still very high. I doubt she'll talk if she does wake." "Remember, utmost discretion. The last thing we need is the British up our asses as well as the Americans. We can't afford a world war right now." "Understood sir."

The voices sounded close by and Conqueror heard the distinctive sound of a door opening and then closing. Her eyes remained closed as she felt someone sit down next to her. She could hear water dripping off a cloth moments before it was pressed against her hull. It burned. Oh it burned so badly! It was cold and yet it burned! She squealed and wailed, making her protests at the actions known. Apparently this wasn't the first time this had happened for no one else came to help. The man just kept up his work, doing his best to keep clear of her failing fins. One of them struck something and unimaginable pain swept across her whole body. She couldn't speak, she couldn't breathe. All she could do was collapse and gasp in silent agony until the mercy of unconsciousness came up from the depths and took her down into its soothing darkness.


End file.
